Search results for: parameter settings

Authors: Ani Kojoyan

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Linguistic studies have been investigating a connection between gender and linguistic development since 1970s. Scholars claim that gender differences in first and second language learning are socially constructed. Recent studies to language learning and gender reveal that second language acquisition is also a social phenomenon directly influencing one’s gender identity. Those responsible for designing language learning-teaching materials should be encouraged to understand the importance of and address the gender sensitivity accurately in textbooks. Writing or compiling a textbook is not an easy task; it requires strong academic abilities, patience, and experience. For a long period of time Armenia has been involved in the compilation process of a number of foreign language textbooks. However, there have been very few discussions or evaluations of those textbooks which will allow specialists to theorize that practice. The present paper focuses on the analysis of gender sensitivity issues and policy aspects involved in an EFL textbook. For the research the following material has been considered – “A Basic English Grammar: Morphology”, first printed in 2011. The selection of the material is not accidental. First, the mentioned textbook has been widely used in university teaching over years. Secondly, in Armenia “A Basic English Grammar: Morphology” has considered one of the most successful English grammar textbooks in a university teaching environment and served a source-book for other authors to compile and design their textbooks. The present paper aims to find out whether an EFL textbook is gendered in the Armenian teaching environment, and whether the textbook compilers are aware of gendered messages while compiling educational materials. It also aims at investigating students’ attitude toward the gendered messages in those materials. And finally, it also aims at increasing the gender sensitivity among book compilers and educators in various educational settings. For this study qualitative and quantitative research methods of analyses have been applied, the quantitative – in terms of carrying out surveys among students (45 university students, 18-25 age group), and the qualitative one – by discourse analysis of the material and conducting in-depth and semi-structured interviews with the Armenian compilers of the textbook (interviews with 3 authors). The study is based on passive and active observations and teaching experience done in a university classroom environment in 2014-2015, 2015-2016. The findings suggest that the discussed and analyzed teaching materials (145 extracts and examples) include traditional examples of intensive use of language and role-modelling, particularly, men are mostly portrayed as active, progressive, aggressive, whereas women are often depicted as passive and weak. These modeled often serve as a ‘reliable basis’ for reinforcing the traditional roles that have been projected on female and male students. The survey results also show that such materials contribute directly to shaping learners’ social attitudes and expectations around issues of gender. The applied techniques and discussed issues can be generalized and applied to other foreign language textbook compilation processes, since those principles, regardless of a language, are mostly the same.

Keywords: EFL textbooks, gender policy, gender sensitivity, qualitative and quantitative research methods

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Authors: Arup Dutta, Badrul Alam, Sayed M. Wazed, Taslima Newaz, Srobonti Dutta

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Background: In today's world, with modern science and contemporary technology, a lot of diseases may be quickly identified and ruled out, but children's fever of unknown origin (FUO) still presents diagnostic difficulties in clinical settings. Any fever that reaches 38 °C and lasts for more than seven days without a known cause is now classified as a fever of unknown origin (FUO). Despite tremendous progress in the medical sector, fever of unknown origin, or FOU, persists as a major health issue and a major contributor to morbidity and mortality, particularly in children, and its spectrum is sometimes unpredictable. The etiology is influenced by geographic location, age, socioeconomic level, frequency of antibiotic resistance, and genetic vulnerability. Since there are currently no known diagnostic algorithms, doctors are forced to evaluate each patient one at a time with extreme caution. A persistent fever poses difficulties for both the patient and the doctor. This prospective observational study was carried out in a Bangladeshi tertiary care hospital from June 2018 to May 2019 with the goal of identifying the epidemiological patterns of fever of unknown origin in pediatric patients. Methods: It was a hospital-based prospective observational study carried out on 106 children (between 2 months and 12 years) with prolonged fever of >38.0 °C lasting for more than 7 days without a clear source. Children with additional chronic diseases or known immunodeficiency problems were not allowed. Clinical practices that helped determine the definitive etiology were assessed. Initial testing included a complete blood count, a routine urine examination, PBF, a chest X-ray, CRP measurement, blood cultures, serology, and additional pertinent investigations. The analysis focused mostly on the etiological results. The standard program SPSS 21 was used to analyze all of the study data. Findings: A total of 106 patients identified as having FUO were assessed, with over half (57.5%) being female and the majority (40.6%) falling within the 1 to 3-year age range. The study categorized the etiological outcomes into five groups: infections, malignancies, connective tissue conditions, miscellaneous, and undiagnosed. In the group that was being studied, infections were found to be the main cause in 44.3% of cases. Undiagnosed cases came in at 31.1%, cancers at 10.4%, other causes at 8.5%, and connective tissue disorders at 4.7%. Hepato-splenomegaly was seen in people with enteric fever, malaria, acute lymphoid leukemia, lymphoma, and hepatic abscesses, either by itself or in combination with other conditions. About 53% of people who were not diagnosed also had hepato-splenomegaly at the same time. Conclusion: Infections are the primary cause of PUO (pyrexia of unknown origin) in children, with undiagnosed cases being the second most common cause. An incremental approach is beneficial in the process of diagnosing a condition. Non-invasive examinations are used to diagnose infections and connective tissue disorders, while invasive investigations are used to diagnose cancer and other ailments. According to this study, the prevalence of undiagnosed diseases is still remarkable, so extensive historical analysis and physical examinations are necessary in order to provide a precise diagnosis.

Keywords: children, diagnostic challenges, fever of unknown origin, pediatric fever, undiagnosed diseases

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Authors: Khlood F. Salman, Richard Zoucha, Hani Nawafleh

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Introduction: Jordan ranks the fourth highest breast cancer prevalence after Lebanon, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Considerable evidence showed that cultural, ethnic, and economic differences influence a woman’s practice to early detection and prevention of breast cancer. Objectives: To understand women’s health beliefs and values in relation to early detection of breast cancer; and to explore the impact of these beliefs on their decisions regarding reluctance or acceptance of early detection measures such as mammogram screening. Design: A qualitative focused ethnography was used to collect data for this study. Settings: The study was conducted in the second largest city surrounded by a large rural area in Ma’an- Jordan. Participants: A total of twenty seven women, with no history of breast cancer, between the ages of 18 and older, who had prior health experience with health providers, and were willing to share elements of personal health beliefs related to breast health within the larger cultural context. The participants were recruited using the snowball method and words of mouth. Data collection and analysis: A short questionnaire was designed to collect data related to socio demographic status (SDQ) from all participants. A Semi-structured interviews guide was used to elicit data through interviews with the informants. Nvivo10 a data manager was utilized to assist with data analysis. Leininger’s four phases of qualitative data analysis was used as a guide for the data analysis. The phases used to analyze the data included: 1) Collecting and documenting raw data, 2) Identifying of descriptors and categories according to the domains of inquiry and research questions. Emic and etic data is coded for similarities and differences, 3) Identifying patterns and contextual analysis, discover saturation of ideas and recurrent patterns, and 4) Identifying themes and theoretical formulations and recommendations. Findings: Three major themes were emerged within the cultural and religious context; 1. Fear, denial, embarrassment and lack of knowledge were common perceptions of Ma’anis’ women regarding breast health and screening mammography, 2. Health care professionals in Jordan were not quick to offer information and education about breast cancer and screening, and 3. Willingness to learn about breast health and cancer prevention. Conclusion: The study indicated the disparities between the infrastructure and resourcing in rural and urban areas of Jordan, knowledge deficit related to breast cancer, and lack of education about breast health may impact women’s decision to go for a mammogram screening. Cultural beliefs, fear, embarrassments as well as providers lack of focus on breast health were significant contributors against practicing breast health. Health providers and policy makers should provide resources for the establishment health education programs regarding breast cancer early detection and mammography screening. Nurses should play a major role in delivering health education about breast health in general and breast cancer in particular. A culturally appropriate health awareness messages can be used in creating educational programs which can be employed at the national levels.

Keywords: breast health, beliefs, cultural context, ethnography, mammogram screening

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Authors: Lazzat M. Zhamaliyeva, Nurgul A. Abenova, Gauhar S. Dilmagambetova, Ziyash Zh. Tanbetova, Moldir B. Ahmetzhanova, Tatyana P. Ostretcova, Aliya A. Yegemberdiyeva

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Introduction: There are many reasons for the weak training of family doctors in Kazakhstan: the unified national educational program is not focused on competencies, the role of a general practitioner (GP) is not clear, poor funding for the health care and education system, outdated teaching and assessment methods, inefficient management. We highlight two issues in particular. Firstly, academic teachers of family medicine (FM) in Kazakhstan do not practice as family doctors; most of them are narrow specialists (pediatricians, therapists, surgeons, etc.); they usually hold one-time consultations; clinical mentors from practical healthcare (non-academic teachers) do not have the teaching competences, and the vast majority of them are also narrow specialists. Secondly, clinical sites (polyclinics) are unprepared for general practice and do not follow the principles of family medicine; residents do not like to be in primary health care (PHC) settings due to the chaos that is happening there, as well as due to the lack of the necessary equipment for mastering and consolidating practical skills. Aim: We present the concept of the family physicians’ training office (FPTO), which is being created as a friendly learning environment for young general practitioners and for the involvement of academic teachers of family medicine in the practical work and innovative development of PHC. Methodology: In developing the conceptual framework and identifying practical activities, we drew on literature and expert input, and interviews. Results: The goal of the FPTO is to create a favorable educational and clinical environment for the development of the FM residents’ competencies, in which the residents with academic teachers and clinical mentors could understand and accept the principles of family medicine, improve clinical knowledge and skills, and gain experience in improving the quality of their practice in scientific basis. Three main areas of office activity are providing primary care to the patients, improving educational services for FM residents and other medical workers, and promoting research in PHC and innovations. The office arranges for residents to see outpatients at least 50% of the time, and teachers of FM departments at least 1/4 of their working time conduct general medical appointments next to residents. Taking into account the educational and scientific workload, the number of attached population for one GP does not exceed 500 persons. The equipment of the office allows FPTO workers to perform invasive and other manipulations without being sent to other clinics. In the office, training for residents is focused on their needs and aimed at achieving the required level of competence. International methodologies and assessment tools are adapted to local conditions and evaluated for their effectiveness and acceptability. Residents and their faculty actively conduct research in the field of family medicine. Conclusions: We propose to change the learning environment in order to create teams of like-minded people, to unite residents and teachers even more for the development of family medicine. The offices will also invest resources in developing and maintaining young doctors' interest in family medicine.

Keywords: educational environment, family medicine residents, family physicians’ training office, primary care research

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Authors: Shahram Naghizadeh Raeisi, Ali Alghooneh

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The loss of curd cohesiveness and syneresis are two common problems in the ultrafiltered cheese industry. In this study, by using membrane technology and protein modification, a modified cheese was developed and its properties were compared with a control sample. In order to decrease the lactose content and adjust the protein, acidity, dry matter and milk minerals, a combination of ultrafiltration, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis technologies was employed. For protein modification, a two-stage chemical and enzymatic reaction was employed before and after ultrafiltration. The physicochemical and microstructural properties of the modified ultrafiltered cheese were compared with the control one. Results showed that the modified protein enhanced the functional properties of the final cheese significantly (pvalue< 0.05), even if the protein content was 50% lower than the control one. The modified cheese showed 21 ± 0.70, 18 ± 1.10 & 25±1.65% higher hardness, cohesiveness and water-holding capacity values, respectively, than the control sample. This behavior could be explained by the developed microstructure of the gel network. Furthermore, chemical-enzymatic modification of milk protein induced a significant change in the network parameter of the final cheese. In this way, the indices of network linkage strength, network linkage density, and time scale of junctions were 10.34 ± 0.52, 68.50 ± 2.10 & 82.21 ± 3.85% higher than the control sample, whereas the distance between adjacent linkages was 16.77 ± 1.10% lower than the control sample. These results were supported by the results of the textural analysis. A non-linear viscoelastic study showed a triangle waveform stress of the modified protein contained cheese, while the control sample showed rectangular waveform stress, which suggested a better sliceability of the modified cheese. Moreover, to study the shelf life of the products, the acidity, as well as molds and yeast population, were determined in 120 days. It’s worth mentioning that the lactose content of modified cheese was adjusted at 2.5% before fermentation, while the lactose of the control one was at 4.5%. The control sample showed 8 weeks shelf life, while the shelf life of the modified cheese was 18 weeks in the refrigerator. During 18 weeks, the acidity of modified and control samples increased from 82 ± 1.50 to 94 ± 2.20 °D and 88 ± 1.64 to 194 ± 5.10 °D, respectively. The mold and yeast populations, with time, followed the semicircular shape model (R2 = 0.92, R2adj = 0.89, RMSE = 1.25). Furthermore, the mold and yeast counts and their growth rate in the modified cheese were lower than those for control one; Aforementioned result could be explained by the shortage of the source of energy for the microorganism in the modified cheese. The lactose content of the modified sample was less than 0.2 ± 0.05% at the end of fermentation, while this was 3.7 ± 0.68% in the control sample.

Keywords: non-linear viscoelastic, protein modification, semicircular shape model, ultrafiltered cheese

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Authors: Laith F. Gulli, Nicole M. Mallory

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The undertaking to develop a psychometric instrument is monumental. Understanding the relationship between variables and events is important in structural and exploratory design of psychometric instruments. Considering this, we describe a method used to group, pair and combine multiple Philosophical Assumption statements that assisted in development of a 13 item psychometric screening instrument. We abbreviated our Philosophical Assumptions (PA)s and added parameters, which were then condensed and mathematically modeled in a specific process. This model produced clusters of combinatorics which was utilized in design and development for 1) information retrieval and categorization 2) item development and 3) estimation of interactions among variables and likelihood of events. The psychometric screening instrument measured Knowledge, Assessment (education) and Beliefs (KAB) of New Addictions Research (NAR), which we called KABNAR. We obtained an overall internal consistency for the seven Likert belief items as measured by Cronbach’s α of .81 in the final study of 40 Clinicians, calculated by SPSS 14.0.1 for Windows. We constructed the instrument to begin with demographic items (degree/addictions certifications) for identification of target populations that practiced within Outpatient Substance Abuse Counseling (OSAC) settings. We then devised education items, beliefs items (seven items) and a modifiable “barrier from learning” item that consisted of six “choose any” choices. We also conceptualized a close relationship between identifying various degrees and certifications held by Outpatient Substance Abuse Therapists (OSAT) (the demographics domain) and all aspects of their education related to EB-NAR (past and present education and desired future training). We placed a descriptive (PA)1tx in both demographic and education domains to trace relationships of therapist education within these two domains. The two perceptions domains B1/b1 and B2/b2 represented different but interrelated perceptions from the therapist perspective. The belief items measured therapist perceptions concerning EB-NAR and therapist perceptions using EB-NAR during the beginning of outpatient addictions counseling. The (PA)s were written in simple words and descriptively accurate and concise. We then devised a list of parameters and appropriately matched them to each PA and devised descriptive parametric (PA)s in a domain categorized information grid. Descriptive parametric (PA)s were reduced to simple mathematical symbols. This made it easy to utilize parametric (PA)s into algorithms, combinatorics and clusters to develop larger information grids. By using matching combinatorics we took paired demographic and education domains with a subscript of 1 and matched them to the column with each B domain with subscript 1. Our algorithmic matching formed larger information grids with organized clusters in columns and rows. We repeated the process using different demographic, education and belief domains and devised multiple information grids with different parametric clusters and geometric arrays. We found benefit combining clusters by different geometric arrays, which enabled us to trace parametric variables and concepts. We were able to understand potential differences between dependent and independent variables and trace relationships of maximum likelihoods.

Keywords: psychometric, parametric, domains, grids, therapists

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Authors: Shin-Pin Tseng

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Nowadays, numerous spectral amplitude coding (SAC) fiber-optic code-division-multiple-access (FO-CDMA) techniques were appealing due to their capable of providing moderate security and relieving the effects of multiuser interference (MUI). Nonetheless, the performance of the previous network is degraded due to fixed in-phase cross-correlation (IPCC) value. Based on the above problems, a new SAC FO-CDMA network using partial M-sequence (PMS) code is presented in this study. Because the proposed PMS code is originated from M-sequence code, the system using the PMS code could effectively suppress the effects of MUI. In addition, two-code keying (TCK) scheme can applied in the proposed SAC FO-CDMA network and enhance the whole network performance. According to the consideration of system flexibility, simple optical encoders/decoders (codecs) using fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) were also developed. First, we constructed a diagram of the SAC FO-CDMA network, including (N/2-1) optical transmitters, (N/2-1) optical receivers, and one N×N star coupler for broadcasting transmitted optical signals to arrive at the input port of each optical receiver. Note that the parameter N for the PMS code was the code length. In addition, the proposed SAC network was using superluminescent diodes (SLDs) as light sources, which then can save a lot of system cost compared with the other FO-CDMA methods. For the design of each optical transmitter, it is composed of an SLD, one optical switch, and two optical encoders according to assigned PMS codewords. On the other hand, each optical receivers includes a 1 × 2 splitter, two optical decoders, and one balanced photodiode for mitigating the effect of MUI. In order to simplify the next analysis, the some assumptions were used. First, the unipolarized SLD has flat power spectral density (PSD). Second, the received optical power at the input port of each optical receiver is the same. Third, all photodiodes in the proposed network have the same electrical properties. Fourth, transmitting '1' and '0' has an equal probability. Subsequently, by taking the factors of phase‐induced intensity noise (PIIN) and thermal noise, the corresponding performance was displayed and compared with the performance of the previous SAC FO-CDMA networks. From the numerical result, it shows that the proposed network improved about 25% performance than that using other codes at BER=10-9. This is because the effect of PIIN was effectively mitigated and the received power was enhanced by two times. As a result, the SAC FO-CDMA network using PMS codes has an opportunity to apply in applications of the next-generation optical network.

Keywords: spectral amplitude coding, SAC, fiber-optic code-division multiple-access, FO-CDMA, partial M-sequence, PMS code, fiber Bragg grating, FBG

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Authors: Matthias Haenisch, Marc Godau, Julia Barreiro, Dominik Maxelon

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In times of ubiquitous digitalization and the increasing entanglement of humans and technologies in musical practices in the 21st century, it is to be asked, how popular musicians learn in the (post)digital Age. Against the backdrop of the increasing interest in transferring informal learning practices into formal settings of music education the interdisciplinary research association »MusCoDA – Musical Communities in the (Post)Digital Age« (University of Erfurt/University of Applied Sciences Clara Hoffbauer Potsdam, funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research, pursues the goal to derive an empirical model of collective songwriting practices from the study of informal lelearningf songwriters and bands that can be translated into pedagogical concepts for music education in schools. Drawing on concepts from Community of Musical Practice and Actor Network Theory, lelearnings considered not only as social practice and as participation in online and offline communities, but also as an effect of heterogeneous networks composed of human and non-human actors. Learning is not seen as an individual, cognitive process, but as the formation and transformation of actor networks, i.e., as a practice of assembling and mediating humans and technologies. Based on video stimulated recall interviews and videography of online and offline activities, songwriting practices are followed from the initial idea to different forms of performance and distribution. The data evaluation combines coding and mapping methods of Grounded Theory Methodology and Situational Analysis. This results in network maps in which both the temporality of creative practices and the material and spatial relations of human and technological actors are reconstructed. In addition, positional analyses document the power relations between the participants that structure the learning process of the field. In the area of online informal lelearninginitial key research findings reveal a transformation of the learning subject through the specific technological affordances of TikTok and Instagram and the accompanying changes in the learning practices of the corresponding online communities. Learning is explicitly shaped by the material agency of online tools and features and the social practices entangled with these technologies. Thus, any human online community member can be invited to directly intervene in creative decisions that contribute to the further compositional and structural development of songs. At the same time, participants can provide each other with intimate insights into songwriting processes in progress and have the opportunity to perform together with strangers and idols. Online Lelearnings characterized by an increase in social proximity, distribution of creative agency and informational exchange between participants. While it seems obvious that traditional notions not only of lelearningut also of the learning subject cannot be maintained, the question arises, how exactly the observed informal learning practices and the subject that emerges from the use of social media as online learning technologies can be transferred into contexts of formal learning

Keywords: informal learning, postdigitality, songwriting, actor-network theory, community of musical practice, social media, TikTok, Instagram, apps

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Authors: Sharifullah Ahmed, Sarwar Jahan Md. Yasin

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Shallow foundations on unimproved soft natural soils can undergo a high consolidation and secondary settlement. For low and medium rise building projects on such soil condition, pile foundation may not be cost effective. In such cases an alternative to pile foundations may be shallow strip footings placed on a double layered improved soil system soil. The upper layer of this system is untreated or cement treated compacted sand and underlying layer is natural soft clay. This system will reduce the settlement to an allowable limit. The current research has been conducted with the settlement of a rigid plane-strain strip footing of 2.5 m width placed on the surface of a soil consisting of an untreated or cement treated sand layer overlying a bed of homogeneous soft clay. The settlement of the mentioned shallow foundation has been studied considering both cases with the thicknesses of the sand layer are 0.3 to 0.9 times the width of footing. The response of the clay layer is assumed as undrained for plastic loading stages and drained during consolidation stages. The response of the sand layer is drained during all loading stages. FEM analysis was done using PLAXIS 2D Version 8.0. A natural clay deposit of 15 m thickness and 18 m width has been modeled using Hardening Soil Model, Soft Soil Model, Soft Soil Creep Model, and upper improvement layer has been modeled using only Hardening Soil Model. The groundwater level is at the top level of the clay deposit that made the system fully saturated. Parametric study has been conducted to determine the effect of thickness, density, cementation of the sand mat and density, shear strength of the soft clay layer on the settlement of strip foundation under the uniformly distributed vertical load of varying value. A set of the chart has been established for designing shallow strip footing on the sand mat over thick, soft clay deposit through obtaining the particular thickness of sand mat for particular subsoil parameter to ensure no punching shear failure and no settlement beyond allowable level. Design guideline in the form of non-dimensional charts has been developed for footing pressure equivalent to medium-rise residential or commercial building foundation with strip footing on soft inorganic Normally Consolidated (NC) soil of Bangladesh having void ratio from 1.0 to 1.45.

Keywords: design charts, ground improvement, PLAXIS 2D, primary and secondary settlement, sand mat, soft clay

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Authors: Jonathan Kissi, Baozhen Dai, Wisdom W. K. Pomegbe, Abdul-Basit Kassim

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Protecting patient’s digital information is a growing concern for healthcare institutions as people nowadays perpetually live their lives through telemedicine services. These telemedicine services have been confronted with several determinants that hinder their successful implementations, especially in developing countries. Identifying such determinants that influence the acceptance of telemedicine services is also a problem for healthcare professionals. Despite the tremendous increase in telemedicine services, its adoption, and use has been quite slow in some healthcare settings. Generally, it is accepted in today’s globalizing world that the success of telemedicine services relies on users’ satisfaction. Satisfying health professionals and patients are one of the crucial objectives of telemedicine success. This study seeks to investigate the determinants that influence health professionals’ intention to utilize telemedicine services in clinical activities in a sub-Saharan African country in West Africa (Ghana). A hybridized model comprising of health adoption models, including technology acceptance theory, diffusion of innovation theory, and protection of motivation theory, were used to investigate these quandaries. The study was carried out in four government health institutions that apply and regulate telemedicine services in their clinical activities. A structured questionnaire was developed and used for data collection. Purposive and convenience sampling methods were used in the selection of healthcare professionals from different medical fields for the study. The collected data were analyzed based on structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. All selected constructs showed a significant relationship with health professional’s behavioral intention in the direction expected from prior literature including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, management strategies, financial sustainability, communication channels, patients security threat, patients privacy risk, self efficacy, actual service use, user satisfaction, and telemedicine services systems securities threat. Surprisingly, user characteristics and response efficacy of health professionals were not significant in the hybridized model. The findings and insights from this research show that health professionals are pragmatic when making choices for technology applications and also their willingness to use telemedicine services. They are, however, anxious about its threats and coping appraisals. The identified significant constructs in the study may help to increase efficiency, quality of services, quality patient care delivery, and satisfactory user satisfaction among healthcare professionals. The implantation and effective utilization of telemedicine services in the selected hospitals will aid as a strategy to eradicate hardships in healthcare services delivery. The service will help attain universal health access coverage to all populace. This study contributes to empirical knowledge by identifying the vital factors influencing health professionals’ behavioral intentions to adopt telemedicine services. The study will also help stakeholders of healthcare to formulate better policies towards telemedicine service usage.

Keywords: telemedicine service, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, management strategies, security threats

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Authors: Sofia Dokuka, Liz Lockhart, Alex Furman

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Organizational hierarchy, traditionally composed of individual contributors, middle management, and executives, is enhanced by the understanding of informal social roles. These roles, identified with organizational network analysis (ONA), might have an important effect on organizational functioning. In this paper, we identify three social roles – influencers, bridges, and soloists, and provide empirical analysis based on real-world organizational networks. Influencers are employees with broad networks and whose contacts also have rich networks. Influence is calculated using PageRank, initially proposed for measuring website importance, but now applied in various network settings, including social networks. Influencers, having high PageRank, become key players in shaping opinions and behaviors within an organization. Bridges serve as links between loosely connected groups within the organization. Bridges are identified using betweenness and Burt’s constraint. Betweenness quantifies a node's control over information flows by evaluating its role in the control over the shortest paths within the network. Burt's constraint measures the extent of interconnection among an individual's contacts. A high constraint value suggests fewer structural holes and lesser control over information flows, whereas a low value suggests the contrary. Soloists are individuals with fewer than 5 stable social contacts, potentially facing challenges due to reduced social interaction and hypothetical lack of feedback and communication. We considered social roles in the analysis of real-world organizations (N=1,060). Based on data from digital traces (Slack, corporate email and calendar) we reconstructed an organizational communication network and identified influencers, bridges and soloists. We also collected employee engagement data through an online survey. Among the top-5% of influencers, 10% are members of the Executive Team. 56% of the Executive Team members are part of the top influencers group. The same proportion of top influencers (10%) is individual contributors, accounting for just 0.6% of all individual contributors in the company. The majority of influencers (80%) are at the middle management level. Out of all middle managers, 19% hold the role of influencers. However, individual contributors represent a small proportion of influencers, and having information about these individuals who hold influential roles can be crucial for management in identifying high-potential talents. Among the bridges, 4% are members of the Executive Team, 16% are individual contributors, and 80% are middle management. Predominantly middle management acts as a bridge. Bridge positions of some members of the executive team might indicate potential micromanagement on the leader's part. Recognizing the individuals serving as bridges in an organization uncovers potential communication problems. The majority of soloists are individual contributors (96%), and 4% of soloists are from middle management. These managers might face communication difficulties. We found an association between being an influencer and attitude toward a company's direction. There is a statistically significant 20% higher perception that the company is headed in the right direction among influencers compared to non-influencers (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test). Taken together, we demonstrate that considering social roles in the company might indicate both positive and negative aspects of organizational functioning that should be considered in data-driven decision-making.

Keywords: organizational network analysis, social roles, influencer, bridge, soloist

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Authors: Eunsu Jang, Kang Park

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In developing an armored ground combat vehicle (AGCV), it is a very important step to analyze the vulnerability (or the survivability) of the AGCV against enemy’s attack. In the vulnerability analysis, the penetration equations are usually used to get the penetration depth and check whether a bullet can penetrate the armor of the AGCV, which causes the damage of internal components or crews. The penetration equations are derived from penetration experiments which require long time and great efforts. However, they usually hold only for the specific material of the target and the specific type of the bullet used in experiments. Thus, penetration simulation using ANSYS can be another option to calculate penetration depth. However, it is very important to model the targets and select the input parameters in order to get an accurate penetration depth. This paper performed a sensitivity analysis of input parameters of ANSYS on the accuracy of the calculated penetration depth. Two conflicting objectives need to be achieved in adopting ANSYS in penetration analysis: maximizing the accuracy of calculation and minimizing the calculation time. To maximize the calculation accuracy, the sensitivity analysis of the input parameters for ANSYS was performed and calculated the RMS error with the experimental data. The input parameters include mesh size, boundary condition, material properties, target diameter are tested and selected to minimize the error between the calculated result from simulation and the experiment data from the papers on the penetration equation. To minimize the calculation time, the parameter values obtained from accuracy analysis are adjusted to get optimized overall performance. As result of analysis, the followings were found: 1) As the mesh size gradually decreases from 0.9 mm to 0.5 mm, both the penetration depth and calculation time increase. 2) As diameters of the target decrease from 250mm to 60 mm, both the penetration depth and calculation time decrease. 3) As the yield stress which is one of the material property of the target decreases, the penetration depth increases. 4) The boundary condition with the fixed side surface of the target gives more penetration depth than that with the fixed side and rear surfaces. By using above finding, the input parameters can be tuned to minimize the error between simulation and experiments. By using simulation tool, ANSYS, with delicately tuned input parameters, penetration analysis can be done on computer without actual experiments. The data of penetration experiments are usually hard to get because of security reasons and only published papers provide them in the limited target material. The next step of this research is to generalize this approach to anticipate the penetration depth by interpolating the known penetration experiments. This result may not be accurate enough to be used to replace the penetration experiments, but those simulations can be used in the early stage of the design process of AGCV in modelling and simulation stage.

Keywords: ANSYS, input parameters, penetration depth, sensitivity analysis

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Authors: Netalie Shloim, Brian Brown, Siobhan Hugh-Jones, Jane Plastow, Diana Setiyawati, Anna Madill

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In June 2021, the World Health Organization launched its guidance and technical packages on community mental health services, stressing a human rights-based approach to care. This initiative stems from an increasing acknowledgment of the role mental health plays in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Nevertheless, mental health remains a relatively neglected research area and the estimates for untreated mental disorders in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) are as high as 78% for adults. Moreover, the development sector and research programs too often side-line mental health as a privilege in the face of often immediate threats to life and livelihood. As a way of addressing this problem, this study aimed to examine past or ongoing GCRF projects to see if there were opportunities where mental health impact could have been achieved without compromising a study's main aim and without overburdening a project. Projects funded by the UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) were analyzed. This program was initiated in 2015 to support cutting-edge research that addresses the challenges faced by developing countries. By the end of May 2020, a total of 15,279 projects were funded of which only 3% had an explicit mental health focus. A sample of 36 non-mental-health-focused projects was then sampled for diversity across research council, challenge portfolio and world region. Each of these 36 projects was coded by two coders for opportunities to embed mental health impact. To facilitate coding, the literature was inspected for dimensions relevant to LMIC settings. Three main psychological and three main social dimensions were identified: promote a positive sense of self; promote positive emotions, safe expression and regulation of challenging emotions, coping strategies, and help-seeking; facilitate skills development; and facilitate community-building; preserve sociocultural identity; support community mobilization. Coding agreement was strong on missed opportunities for mental health impact on the three social dimensions: support community mobilization (92%), facilitate community building (83%), preserve socio-cultural identity (70%). Coding agreement was reasonably strong on missed opportunities for mental health impact on the three psychological dimensions: promote positive emotions (67%), facilitate skills development (61%), positive sense of self (58%). In order of frequency, the agreed perceived opportunities from the highest to lowest are: support community mobilization, facilitate community building, facilitate skills development, promote a positive sense of self, promote positive emotions, preserve sociocultural identity. All projects were considered to have an opportunity to support community mobilization and to facilitate skills development by at least one coder. Findings provided support that there were opportunities to embed mental health impact in research across the range of development sectors and identifies what kind of missed opportunities are most frequent. Hence, mainstreaming mental health has huge potential to tackle the lack of priority and funding it has attracted traditionally. The next steps are to understand the barriers to mainstreaming mental health and to work together to overcome them.

Keywords: GCRF, mental health, psychosocial wellbeing, LMIC

Procedia PDF Downloads 174

Authors: Ojochenemi J. Onubi, Debbi Marais, Lorna Aucott, Friday Okonofua, Amudha Poobalan

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Background: Obesity is a worldwide epidemic with major health and economic consequences. Pregnancy is a trigger point for the development of obesity, and maternal obesity is associated with significant adverse effects in the mother and child. Nigeria is experiencing a double burden of under- and over-nutrition with rising levels of obesity particularly in women. However, there is scarcity of data on maternal obesity in Nigeria and other African countries. Aims and Objectives: This project aimed at identifying crucial components of potential interventions for maternal obesity in Nigeria. The objectives were to assess the prevalence, effects, and distribution of maternal obesity; knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pregnant women and maternal healthcare providers; and identify existing interventions for maternal obesity in Nigeria. Methodology: A systematic review and meta-analysis were initially conducted to appraise the existing literature on maternal obesity in Africa. Following this, a quantitative questionnaire survey of the KAP of pregnant women and a qualitative interview study of the KAP of Health Care Workers (HCW) were conducted in seven secondary and tertiary hospitals across Nigeria. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS statistical software, while thematic analysis was conducted for qualitative data. Results: Twenty-nine studies included in the systematic review showed significant prevalence, socio-demographic associations, and adverse effects of maternal obesity on labour, maternal, and child outcomes in Africa. The questionnaire survey of 435 mothers revealed a maternal obesity prevalence of 17.9% among mothers who registered for antenatal care in the first trimester. The mothers received nutrition information from different sources and had insufficient knowledge of their own weight category or recommended Gestational Weight Gain (GWG), causes, complications, and safe ways to manage maternal obesity. However, majority of the mothers were of the opinion that excess GWG is avoided in pregnancy and some practiced weight management (diet and exercise) during pregnancy. For the qualitative study, four main themes were identified: ‘Concerns about obesity in pregnancy’, ‘Barriers to care for obese pregnant women’, ‘Practice of care for obese pregnant women’, and ‘Improving care for obese pregnant women’. HCW expressed concerns about rising levels of maternal obesity, lack of guidelines for the management of obese pregnant women and worries about unintended consequences of antenatal interventions. ‘Barriers’ included lack of contact with obese women before pregnancy, late registration for antenatal care, and perceived maternal barriers such as socio-cultural beliefs of mothers and poverty. ‘Practice’ included anticipatory care and screening for possible complications, general nutrition education during antenatal care and interdisciplinary care for mothers with complications. HCW offered suggestions on improving care for obese women including timing, type, and settings of interventions; and the need for involvement of other stake holders in caring for obese pregnant women. Conclusions: Culturally adaptable/sensitive interventions should be developed for the management of obese pregnant women in Africa. Education and training of mothers and health care workers, and provision of guidelines are some of the components of potential interventions in Nigeria.

Keywords: Africa, maternal, obesity, pregnancy

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Authors: Harald Lindorfer, Bettina Frauz, Dietmar Ramhold

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Next to the well-known inhibitors in anaerobic digestion like ammonia, antibiotics or disinfectants, the number of process failures connected with mould growth in the feedstock increased significantly in the last years. It was assumed that mycotoxins are the cause of the negative effects. The financial damage to plants associated with these process failures is considerable. The aim of this study was to find a way of predicting the failures and furthermore strategies for a fast process recovery. In a first step, mould-contaminated feedstocks causing process failures in full-scale digesters were sampled and analysed on mycotoxin content. A selection of these samples was applied to biological inhibition tests. In this test, crystalline cellulose is applied in addition to the feedstock sample as standard substrate. Affected digesters were also sampled and analytical process data as well as operational data of the plants were recorded. Additionally, different mycotoxin substances, Deoxynivalenol, Zearalenon, Aflatoxin B1, Mycophenolic acid and Citrinin, were applied as pure substances to lab-scale digesters, individually and in various combinations, and effects were monitored. As expected, various mycotoxins were detected in all of the mould-contaminated samples. Nevertheless, inhibition effects were observed with only one of the collected samples, after applying it to an inhibition test. With this sample, the biogas yield of the standard substrate was reduced by approx. 20%. This result corresponds with observations made on full-scale plants. However, none of the tested mycotoxins applied as pure substance caused a negative effect on biogas production in lab scale digesters, neither after application as individual substance nor in combination. The recording of the process data in full-scale plants affected by process failures in most cases showed a severe accumulation of fatty acids alongside a decrease in biogas production and methane concentration. In the analytical data of the digester samples, a typical distribution of fatty acids with exceptionally high acetic acid concentrations could be identified. This typical fatty acid pattern can be used as a rapid identification parameter pointing to the cause of the process troubles and enable a fast implication of countermeasures. The results of the study show that more attention needs to be paid to feedstock storage and feedstock conservation before their application to anaerobic digesters. This is all the more important since first studies indicate that the occurrence of mycotoxins will likely increase in Europe due to the ongoing climate change.

Keywords: Anaerobic digestion, Biogas, Feedstock conservation, Fungal mycotoxins, Inhibition, process failure

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Authors: Smriti Rastogi, Narsingh Verma

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Background: A vast body of research exists on the use of oral hypoglycaemic drugs, insulin injections and the like in managing diabetes but no such research exists that has taken into consideration the parameter of time restricted meal intake and its positive effects in managing diabetes. The utility of this project is immense as it offers a solution to the woes of diabetics based on circadian rhythm and normal physiology of the human body. Method: 80 Diabetics, enrolled from the Out Patient Department of Endocrinology, KGMU (King George's Medical University) were randomly divided based on consent to early dinner TRM(time restricted meal) group or not (control group). Follow up was done at six months and 12 months for anthropometric measurement, height, weight, waist-hip ratio, neck size, fasting, postprandial blood sugar, HbA1c, serum urea, serum creatinine, and lipid profile. The patient was given a clear understanding of chronomedicine and how it affects their health. A single intervention was done - the timing of dinner was at or around 7 pm for TRM group. Result: 65% of TRM group and 40 %(non- TRM) had normal HbA1c after 12 months. HbA1c in TRM Group (first visit to second follow up) had a significant p value=0.017. A p value of <0.0001 was observed on comparing the values of blood sugar (fasting) in TRM Group from the first visit and second follow up. The values of blood sugar (postprandial) in TRM Group (first visit and second follow up) showed a p-value <0.0001 (highly significant). Values of the three parameters were non- significant in the control group. Hip size(First Visit to Second Follow Up) TRM Group showed a p-value = 0.0344 (Significant) (Difference between means=2.762 ± 1.261)Detailed results of the above parameters and a few newer ones will be presented at the conference. Conclusion: Time restricted meal intake in diabetics shows promise and is worth exploring further. Time Restricted Meal intake in Type 2 diabetics has a significant effect in controlling and maintaining HbA1c as the reduction in HbA1c value was very significant in the TRM group vs. the control group. Similar highly significant results were obtained in the case of fasting and postprandial values of blood sugar in the TRM group when compared to the control group. The effects of time restricted meal intake in diabetics show promise and are worth exploring further. It is one of the first studies which have been undertaken in Indian diabetics, although the initial data obtained is encouraging yet further research and study are required to corroborate results.

Keywords: chronomedicine, diabetes, endocrinology, time restricted meal intake

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Authors: Sanjay K. Behera, Debasish Saha, Paramesh Gadige, Ranjini Bandyopadhyay

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The zero shear viscosity (η₀) of a suspension of hard sphere colloids characterized by a significant polydispersity (≈10%) increases with increase in volume fraction (ϕ) and shows a dramatic increase at ϕ=ϕg with the system entering a colloidal glassy state. Fragility which is the measure of the rapidity of approach of these suspensions towards the glassy state is sensitive to its size polydispersity and stiffness of the particles. Soft poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) particles deform in the presence of neighboring particles at volume fraction above the random close packing volume fraction of undeformed monodisperse spheres. Softness, therefore, enhances the packing efficiency of these particles. In this study PNIPAM particles of a nearly constant swelling ratio and with polydispersities varying over a wide range (7.4%-48.9%) are synthesized to study the effects of polydispersity on the dynamics of suspensions of soft PNIPAM colloidal particles. The size and polydispersity of these particles are characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As these particles are deformable, their packing in aqueous suspensions is quantified in terms of effective volume fraction (ϕeff). The zero shear viscosity (η₀) data of these colloidal suspensions, estimated from rheometric experiments as a function of the effective volume fraction ϕeff of the suspensions, increases with increase in ϕeff and shows a dramatic increase at ϕeff = ϕ₀. The data for η₀ as a function of ϕeff fits well to the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann equation. It is observed that increasing polydispersity results in increasingly fragile supercooled liquid-like behavior, with the parameter ϕ₀, extracted from the fits to the VFT equation shifting towards higher ϕeff. The observed increase in fragility is attributed to the prevalence of dynamical heterogeneities (DHs) in these polydisperse suspensions, while the simultaneous shift in ϕ₀ is ascribed to the decoupling of the dynamics of the smallest and largest particles. Finally, it is observed that the intrinsic nonlinearity of these suspensions, estimated at the third harmonic near ϕ₀ in Fourier transform oscillatory rheological experiments, increases with increase in polydispersity. These results are in agreement with theoretical predictions and simulation results for polydisperse hard sphere colloidal glasses and clearly demonstrate that jammed suspensions of polydisperse colloidal particles can be effectively fluidized with increasing polydispersity. Suspensions of these particles are therefore excellent candidates for detailed experimental studies of the effects of polydispersity on the dynamics of glass formation.

Keywords: dynamical heterogeneity, effective volume fraction, fragility, intrinsic nonlinearity

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Authors: T. Poppendieker

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A new innovative tool for self-myofascial release is widely and increasingly used among athletes of various sports. The application of the foam roll is suggested to improve muscle performance and flexibility. Attempts to examine acute and somewhat long term effects of either have been conducted over the past ten years. However, the results of muscle performance have been inconsistent. It is suggested that regular use over a long period of time results in a different, muscle performance improving outcome. This study examines long-term effects of regular foam rolling combined with a short plyometric routine vs. solely the same plyometric routine on muscle performance and flexibility over a period of six weeks. Results of counter movement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), and isometric maximal force (IMF) of a 90° horizontal squat in a leg-press will serve as parameters for muscle performance. Data on the range of motion (ROM) of the sit and reach test will be used as a parameter for the flexibility assessment. Muscle activation will be measured throughout all tests. Twenty male and twenty female members of a Frankfurt area fitness center chain (7.11) with an average age of 25 years will be recruited. Women and men will be randomly assigned to a foam roll (FR) and a control group. All participants will practice their assigned routine three times a week over the period of six weeks. Tests on CMJ, SJ, IMF, and ROM will be taken before and after the intervention period. The statistic software program SPSS 22 will be used to analyze the data of CMJ, SJ, IMF, and ROM under consideration of muscle activation by a 2 x 2 x 2 (time of measurement x gender x group) analysis of variance with repeated measures and dependent t-test analysis of pre- and post-test. The alpha level for statistic significance will be set at p ≤ 0.05. It is hypothesized that a significant difference in outcome based on gender differences in all four tests will be observed. It is further hypothesized that both groups may show significant improvements in their performance in the CMJ and SJ after the six-week period. However, the FR group is hypothesized to achieve a higher improvement in the two jump tests. Moreover, the FR group may increase IMF as well as flexibility, whereas the control group may not show likewise progress. The results of this study are crucial for the understanding of long-term effects of regular foam roll application. The collected information on the matter may help to motivate the incorporation of foam rolling into training routines, in order to improve athletic performances.

Keywords: counter movement jump, foam rolling, isometric maximal force, long term effects, self-myofascial release, squat jump

Procedia PDF Downloads 286

Authors: Zena Tredinnick-Kirby, Anna Divinsky, Brendan Berthold, Nicole Cingolani

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Faculty members from The Pennsylvania State University, Zena Tredinnick-Kirby, Ph.D., and Anna Divinsky are at the forefront of an innovative educational approach to improve access in asynchronous online art courses. Their pioneering work weaves virtual reality (VR) technologies to construct a more equitable educational experience for students by transforming their learning and engagement. The significance of their study lies in the need to bridge the digital divide in online art courses, making them more inclusive and interactive for all distance learners. In an era where conventional classroom settings are no longer the sole means of instruction, Tredinnick-Kirby and Divinsky harness the power of instructional technologies to break down geographical barriers by incorporating an interactive VR experience that facilitates community building within an online environment transcending physical constraints. The methodology adopted by Tredinnick-Kirby, and Divinsky is centered around integrating 3D virtual spaces into their art courses. Spatial.io, a virtual world platform, enables students to develop digital avatars and engage in virtual art museums through a free browser-based program or an Oculus headset, where they can interact with other visitors and critique each other’s artwork. The goal is not only to provide students with an engaging and immersive learning experience but also to nourish them with a more profound understanding of the language of art criticism and technology. Furthermore, the study aims to cultivate critical thinking skills among students and foster a collaborative spirit. By leveraging cutting-edge VR technology, students are encouraged to explore the possibilities of their field, experimenting with innovative tools and techniques. This approach not only enriches their learning experience but also prepares them for a dynamic and ever-evolving art landscape in technology and education. One of the fundamental objectives of Tredinnick-Kirby and Divinsky is to remodel how feedback is derived through peer-to-peer art critique. Through the inclusion of 3D virtual spaces into the curriculum, students now have the opportunity to install their final artwork in a virtual gallery space and incorporate peer feedback, enabling students to exhibit their work opening the doors to a collaborative and interactive process. Students can provide constructive suggestions, engage in discussions, and integrate peer commentary into developing their ideas and praxis. This approach not only accelerates the learning process but also promotes a sense of community and growth. In summary, the study conducted by the Penn State faculty members Zena Tredinnick-Kirby, and Anna Divinsky represents innovative use of technology in their courses. By incorporating 3D virtual spaces, they are enriching the learners' experience. Through this inventive pedagogical technique, they nurture critical thinking, collaboration, and the practical application of cutting-edge technology in art. This research holds great promise for the future of online art education, transforming it into a dynamic, inclusive, and interactive experience that transcends the confines of distance learning.

Keywords: Art, community building, distance learning, virtual reality

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Authors: J. S. M. Yang, G. E. T. Chua

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Diploma in Optometry (OPT) course is a three-year program offered by Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) to train students to provide primary eye care. Students are equipped with foundational conceptual knowledge and practical skills in the first three semesters before clinical modules in fourth to six semesters. In the clinical modules, students typically have difficulties in integrating the acquired knowledge and skills from the past semesters to perform general eye examinations on public patients at NP Optometry Centre (NPOC). To help the students overcome the challenge, a web-based game Virtual Optometrist (VO) was developed to help students apply their skills and knowledge through scenario-based learning. It consisted of two interfaces, Optical Practice Counter (OPC) and Optometric Consultation Room (OCR), to provide two simulated settings for authentic learning experiences. In OPC, students would recommend and provide appropriate frame and lens selection based on virtual patient’s case history. In OCR, students would diagnose and manage virtual patients with common ocular conditions. Simulated scenarios provided real-world clinical situations that required contextual application of integrated knowledge from relevant modules. The stages in OPC and OCR are of increasing complexity to align to expected students’ clinical competency as they progress to more senior semesters. This prevented gameplay fatigue as VO was used over the semesters to achieve different learning outcomes. Numerous feedback opportunities were provided to students based on their decisions to allow individualized learning to take place. The game-based learning element in VO was achieved through the scoreboard and leader board to enhance students' motivation to perform. Scores were based on the speed and accuracy of students’ responses to the questions posed in the simulated scenarios, preparing the students to perform accurately and effectively under time pressure in a realistic optometric environment. Learning analytics was generated in VO’s backend office based on students’ responses, offering real-time data on distinctive and observable learners’ behavior to monitor students’ engagement and learning progress. The backend office allowed versatility to add, edit, and delete scenarios for different intended learning outcomes. Likert Scale was used to measure students’ learning experience with VO for OPT Year 2 and 3 students. The survey results highlighted the learning benefits of implementing VO in the different modules, such as enhancing recall and reinforcement of clinical knowledge for contextual application to develop higher-order thinking skills, increasing efficiency in clinical decision-making, facilitating learning through immediate feedback and second attempts, providing exposure to common and significant ocular conditions, and training effective communication skills. The results showed that VO has been useful in reinforcing optometry students’ learning and supporting the development of higher-order thinking, increasing efficiency in clinical decision-making, and allowing students to learn from their mistakes with immediate feedback and second attempts. VO also exposed the students to diverse ocular conditions through simulated real-world clinical scenarios, which may otherwise not be encountered in NPOC, and promoted effective communication skills.

Keywords: authentic learning, game-based learning, scenario-based learning, simulated clinical scenarios

Procedia PDF Downloads 117

Authors: Seydou Sinde

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The aims of this paper are to formulate mathematical expressions that can be used to estimate the standpipe pressure (SPP). The developed formulas take into account the main factors that, directly or indirectly, affect the behavior of SPP values. Fluid rheology and well hydraulics are some of these essential factors. Mud Plastic viscosity, yield point, flow power, consistency index, flow rate, drillstring, and annular geometries are represented by the frictional pressure (Pf), which is one of the input independent parameters and is calculated, in this paper, using Herschel-Bulkley rheological model. Other input independent parameters include the rate of penetration (ROP), applied load or weight on the bit (WOB), bit revolutions per minute (RPM), bit torque (TRQ), and hole inclination and direction coupled in the hole curvature or dogleg (DL). The technique of repeating parameters and Buckingham PI theorem are used to reduce the number of the input independent parameters into the dimensionless revolutions per minute (RPMd), the dimensionless torque (TRQd), and the dogleg, which is already in the dimensionless form of radians. Multivariable linear and polynomial regression technique using PTC Mathcad Prime 4.0 is used to analyze and determine the exact relationships between the dependent parameter, which is SPP, and the remaining three dimensionless groups. Three models proved sufficiently satisfactory to estimate the standpipe pressure: multivariable linear regression model 1 containing three regression coefficients for vertical wells; multivariable linear regression model 2 containing four regression coefficients for deviated wells; and multivariable polynomial quadratic regression model containing six regression coefficients for both vertical and deviated wells. Although that the linear regression model 2 (with four coefficients) is relatively more complex and contains an additional term over the linear regression model 1 (with three coefficients), the former did not really add significant improvements to the later except for some minor values. Thus, the effect of the hole curvature or dogleg is insignificant and can be omitted from the input independent parameters without significant losses of accuracy. The polynomial quadratic regression model is considered the most accurate model due to its relatively higher accuracy for most of the cases. Data of nine wells from the Middle East were used to run the developed models with satisfactory results provided by all of them, even if the multivariable polynomial quadratic regression model gave the best and most accurate results. Development of these models is useful not only to monitor and predict, with accuracy, the values of SPP but also to early control and check for the integrity of the well hydraulics as well as to take the corrective actions should any unexpected problems appear, such as pipe washouts, jet plugging, excessive mud losses, fluid gains, kicks, etc.

Keywords: standpipe, pressure, hydraulics, nondimensionalization, parameters, regression

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Authors: M. Aouimeur

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The environmental risks of a dam and particularly the security in the Valley downstream of it,, is a very complex problem. Integrated management and risk-sharing become more and more indispensable. The definition of "vulnerability “concept can provide assistance to controlling the efficiency of protective measures and the characterization of each valley relatively to the floods's risk. Security can be enhanced through the integrated land management. The social sciences may be associated to the operational systems of civil protection, in particular warning networks. The passage of extreme floods in the site of the dam causes the rupture of this structure and important damages downstream the dam. The river bed could be damaged by erosion if it is not well protected. Also, we may encounter some scouring and flooding problems in the downstream area of the dam. Therefore, the protection of the dam is crucial. It must have an energy dissipator in a specific place. The basin of dissipation plays a very important role for the security of the dam and the protection of the environment against floods downstream the dam. It allows to dissipate the potential energy created by the dam with the passage of the extreme flood on the weir and regularize in a natural manner and with more security the discharge or elevation of the water plan on the crest of the weir, also it permits to reduce the speed of the flow downstream the dam, in order to obtain an identical speed to the river bed. The problem of the dimensioning of a classic dissipation basin is in the determination of the necessary parameters for the dimensioning of this structure. This communication presents a simple graphical method, that is fast and complete, and a methodology which determines the main features of the hydraulic jump, necessary parameters for sizing the classic dissipation basin. This graphical method takes into account the constraints imposed by the reality of the terrain or the practice such as the one related to the topography of the site, the preservation of the environment equilibrium and the technical and economic side.This methodology is to impose the loss of head DH dissipated by the hydraulic jump as a hypothesis (free design) to determine all the others parameters of classical dissipation basin. We can impose the loss of head DH dissipated by the hydraulic jump that is equal to a selected value or to a certain percentage of the upstream total head created by the dam. With the parameter DH+ =(DH/k),(k: critical depth),the elaborate graphical representation allows to find the other parameters, the multiplication of these parameters by k gives the main characteristics of the hydraulic jump, necessary parameters for the dimensioning of classic dissipation basin.This solution is often preferred for sizing the dissipation basins of small concrete dams. The results verification and their comparison to practical data, confirm the validity and reliability of the elaborate graphical method.

Keywords: dimensioning, energy dissipation basin, hydraulic jump, protection of the environment

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Authors: Catalina Iticescu, Lucian P. Georgescu, Mihaela Timofti, Gabriel Murariu

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Since the accumulation of large quantities of sewage sludge is producing serious environmental problems, numerous environmental specialists are looking for solutions to solve this problem. The sewage sludge obtained by treatment of municipal wastewater may be used as fertiliser on agricultural soils because such sludge contains large amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter. In many countries, sewage sludge is used instead of chemical fertilizers in agriculture, this being the most feasible method to reduce the increasingly larger quantities of sludge. The use of sewage sludge on agricultural soils is allowed only with a strict monitoring of their physical and chemical parameters, because heavy metals exist in varying amounts in sewage sludge. Exceeding maximum permitted quantities of harmful substances may lead to pollution of agricultural soil and may cause their removal aside because the plants may take up the heavy metals existing in soil and these metals will most probably be found in humans and animals through food. The sewage sludge analyzed for the present paper was extracted from the Wastewater Treatment Station (WWTP) Galati, Romania. The physico-chemical parameters determined were: pH (upH), total organic carbon (TOC) (mg L⁻¹), N-total (mg L⁻¹), P-total (mg L⁻¹), N-NH₄ (mg L⁻¹), N-NO₂ (mg L⁻¹), N-NO₃ (mg L⁻¹), Fe-total (mg L⁻¹), Cr-total (mg L⁻¹), Cu (mg L⁻¹), Zn (mg L⁻¹), Cd (mg L⁻¹), Pb (mg L⁻¹), Ni (mg L⁻¹). The determination methods were electrometrical (pH, C, TSD) - with a portable HI 9828 HANNA electrodes committed multiparameter and spectrophotometric - with a Spectroquant NOVA 60 - Merck spectrophotometer and with specific Merck parameter kits. The tests made pointed out the fact that the sludge analysed is low heavy metal falling within the legal limits, the quantities of metals measured being much lower than the maximum allowed. The results of the tests made to determine the content of nutrients in the sewage sludge have shown that the existing nutrients may be used to increase the fertility of agricultural soils. Other tests were carried out on lands where sewage sludge was applied in order to establish the maximum quantity of sludge that may be used so as not to constitute a source of pollution. The tests were made on three plots: a first batch with no mud and no chemical fertilizers applied, a second batch on which only sewage sludge was applied, and a third batch on which small amounts of chemical fertilizers were applied in addition to sewage sludge. The results showed that the production increases when the soil is treated with sludge and small amounts of chemical fertilizers. Based on the results of the present research, a fertilization plan has been suggested. This plan should be reconsidered each year based on the crops planned, the yields proposed, the agrochemical indications, the sludge analysis, etc.

Keywords: agricultural use, crops, physico–chemical parameters, sewage sludge

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Authors: Ram Sharma, Esha Chatterjee, Santosh Kumar Guru, Kunal Nepali

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A tractable anti-lung cancer agent was identified via the installation of a Ring C expanded synthetic analogue of the alkaloid vasicinone [7,8,9,10-tetrahydroazepino[2,1-b] quinazolin-12(6H)-one (TAZQ)] as a surface recognition part in the HDAC inhibitory three-component model. Noteworthy to mention that the candidature of TAZQ was deemed suitable for accommodation in HDAC inhibitory pharmacophore as per the results of the fragment recruitment process conducted by our laboratory. TAZQ was pinpointed through the fragment screening program as a synthetically flexible fragment endowed with some moderate cell growth inhibitory activity against the lung cancer cell lines, and it was anticipated that the use of the aforementioned fragment to generate hydroxamic acid functionality (zinc-binding motif) bearing HDAC inhibitors would boost the antitumor efficacy of TAZQ. Consistent with our aim of applying epigenetic targets to the treatment of lung cancer, a strikingly potent anti-lung cancer scaffold (compound 6) was pinpointed through a series of in-vitro experiments. Notably, the compounds manifested a magnificent activity profile against KRAS and EGFR mutant lung cancer cell lines (IC50 = 0.80 - 0.96 µM), and the effects were found to be mediated through preferential HDAC6 inhibition (IC50 = 12.9 nM). In addition to HDAC6 inhibition, the compounds also elicited HDAC1 and HDAC3 inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 49.9 nM and 68.5 nM, respectively. The HDAC inhibitory ability of compound 6 was also confirmed from the results of the western blot experiment that revealed its potential to decrease the expression levels of HDAC isoforms (HDAC1, HDAC3, and HDAC6). Noteworthy to mention that complete downregulation of the HDAC6 isoform was exerted by compound 6 at 0.5 and 1 µM. Moreover, in another western blot experiment, treatment with hydroxamic acid 6 led to upregulation of H3 acK9 and α-Tubulin acK40 levels, ascertaining its inhibitory activity toward both the class I HDACs and Class II B HDACs. The results of other assays were also encouraging as treatment with compound 6 led to the suppression of the colony formation ability of A549 cells, induction of apoptosis, and increase in autophagic flux. In silico studies led us to rationalize the results of the experimental assay, and some key interactions of compound 6 with the amino acid residues of HDAC isoforms were identified. In light of the impressive activity spectrum of compound 6, a pH-responsive nanocarrier (hyaluronic acid-compound 6 nanoparticles) was prepared. The dialysis bag approach was used for the assessment of the nanoparticles under both normal and acidic circumstances, and the pH-sensitive nature of hyaluronic acid-compound 6 nanoparticles was confirmed. Delightfully, the nanoformulation was devoid of cytotoxicity against the L929 mouse fibroblast cells (normal settings) and exhibited selective cytotoxicity towards the A549 lung cancer cell lines. In a nutshell, compound 6 appears to be a promising adduct, and a detailed investigation of this compound might yield a therapeutic for the treatment of lung cancer.

Keywords: HDAC inhibitors, lung cancer, scaffold, hyaluronic acid, nanoparticles

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Authors: Olga I. Moskalenko, Vladislav A. Khanadeev, Anastasya D. Koloskova, Alexey A. Koronovskii, Anatoly A. Pivovarov

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Generalized synchronization is one of the most intricate phenomena in nonlinear science. It can be observed both in systems with a unidirectional and mutual type of coupling including the complex networks. Such a phenomenon has a number of practical applications, for example, for the secure information transmission through the communication channel with a high level of noise. Known methods for the secure information transmission needs in the increase of the privacy of data transmission that arises a question about the observation of such phenomenon in systems with a complex topology of chaotic attractor possessing two or more positive Lyapunov exponents. The present report is devoted to the study of such phenomenon in two unidirectionally and mutually coupled dynamical systems being in chaotic (with one positive Lyapunov exponent) and hyperchaotic (with two or more positive Lyapunov exponents) regimes, respectively. As the systems under study, we have used two mutually coupled modified Lorenz oscillators and two unidirectionally coupled time-delayed generators. We have shown that in both cases the generalized synchronization regime can be detected by means of the calculation of Lyapunov exponents and phase tube approach whereas due to the complex topology of attractor the nearest neighbor method is misleading. Moreover, the auxiliary system approaches being the standard method for the synchronous regime observation, for the mutual type of coupling results in incorrect results. To calculate the Lyapunov exponents in time-delayed systems we have proposed an approach based on the modification of Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization procedure in the context of the time-delayed system. We have studied in detail the mechanisms resulting in the generalized synchronization regime onset paying a great attention to the field where one positive Lyapunov exponent has already been become negative whereas the second one is a positive yet. We have found the intermittency here and studied its characteristics. To detect the laminar phase lengths the method based on a calculation of local Lyapunov exponents has been proposed. The efficiency of the method has been verified using the example of two unidirectionally coupled Rössler systems being in the band chaos regime. We have revealed the main characteristics of intermittency, i.e. the distribution of the laminar phase lengths and dependence of the mean length of the laminar phases on the criticality parameter, for all systems studied in the report. This work has been supported by the Russian President's Council grant for the state support of young Russian scientists (project MK-531.2018.2).

Keywords: complex topology of attractor, generalized synchronization, hyperchaos, Lyapunov exponents

Procedia PDF Downloads 276

Authors: K. Power, M. White, B. Dunleavey, E. Comerford, C. Doherty, N. Delanty, R. Corbridge, M. Fitzsimons

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Introduction: Providing people with access to their own healthcare information and engaging them as co-authors of their health record can promote better transparency, trust, and inclusivity in the healthcare system. With the advent of electronic health records, there is a move towards involving patients as partners in their healthcare by providing them with access to their own health data via electronic patient portals (ePortal). For example, a recently developed ePortal to the Irish National Epilepsy Electronic Patient Record (EPR) provides access to summary medical records, tools for Patient Reported Outcomes (PROM), health goal-setting and preparation for clinical appointments. Aim: To determine what people with epilepsy (their families/carers) value about the Irish epilepsy ePortal. Methods: A socio-technical process was employed recruiting 30 families of people with epilepsy who also have an intellectual disability (ID). Family members who are a care partner of the person with epilepsy (PWE) were invited to co-design, develop and implement the ePortal. Family members engaged in usability and utility testing which involved a face to face meeting to learn about the ePortal, register for a user account and evaluate its structure and content. Family members were instructed to login to the portal on at least two separate occasions following the meeting and to complete a self-report evaluation tool during this time. The evaluation tool, based on a Usability Questionnaire (Lewis, 1993), consists of a short assessment of comfort using technology, instructions for using the ePortal and some tasks to complete. Tasks included validating summary record details, assessing ePortal ease of use, evaluation of information presented. Participants were asked for suggestions on how to improve the portal and make it more applicable to PWE who also have an ID. Results: Family members responded positively to the ePortal and valued the ability to share information between clinicians and care partners; use the ePortal as a passport between different healthcare settings (e.g., primary care to hospital). In the context of elderly parents of PWE, the ePortal is valued as a tool for supporting shared care between family members. Participants welcomed the facility to log lists of questions and goals to discuss with the clinician at the next clinical appointment as a means of improving quality of care. Participants also suggested further enhancements to the ePortal such as access to clinic letters which can provide an aide memoir in terms of the careplan agreed with the clinical team. For example, through the ePortal, people could see what investigations or therapies are scheduled. Conclusion: The Epilepsy Patient Portal is accessible via a range of devices such as smartphones and tablets. ePortals have the potential to help personalise care, improve patient involvement in clinical decision making, engage them as quality and safety partners, and help clinicians be more responsive to patient needs. Acknowledgement: The epilepsy ePortal project is part of PISCES, a Lighthouse Project funded by eHealth Ireland and HSE to help build an understanding of the benefits of eHealth technologies in the Irish Healthcare System.

Keywords: electronic patient portal, electronic patient record, epilepsy, intellectual disability, usability testing

Procedia PDF Downloads 340

Authors: Jessica J. Gillies

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Human trafficking is a gross violation of human rights and thus invokes a strong response particularly throughout the global academic community. A longstanding tension throughout academic debate remains the question of a relationship between anti-trafficking policy and sex industry policy. In Australia, over the previous decade, many human trafficking investigations have related to the sexual exploitation of female victims, and convictions in Australia to date have often been for trafficking women from Thailand. Sex industry policy in Australia varies between states, providing a rich contextual landscape in which to explore this relationship. The purpose of this study was to deconstruct how meaning is constructed surrounding human trafficking throughout these supposedly related political discourses in Australia. In order to analyse the discursive construction of the problem of human trafficking in relation to sex industry policy, a discursive analysis was conducted. The methodology of the study was informed by a feminist theoretical framework, and included academic sources and grey literature such as organisational reports and policy statements regarding anti-trafficking initiatives. The scope of grey literature was restricted to Australian and Thai government and non-government organisation texts. The chosen methodology facilitated a qualitative exploration of the influence of feminist discourses over political discourse in this arena. The discursive analysis exposed clusters of active feminist debates interacting with sex industry policy within individual states throughout Australia. Additionally, strongly opposed sex industry perspectives were uncovered within these competing feminist frameworks. While the influence these groups may exert over policy differs, the debate constructs a discursive relationship between human trafficking and sex industry policy. This is problematic because anti-trafficking policy is drawn to some extent from this discursive construction, therefore affecting support services for survivors of human trafficking. The discursive analysis further revealed misalignment between government and non-government priorities, Australian government anti-trafficking policy appears to favour criminal justice priorities; whereas non-government settings preference human rights protections. Criminal justice priorities invoke questions of legitimacy, leading to strict eligibility policy for survivors seeking support following exploitation in the Australian sex industry, undermining women’s agency and human rights. In practice, these two main findings demonstrate a construction of policy that has serious outcomes on typical survivors in Australia following a lived experience of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The discourses constructed by conflicting feminist arguments influence political discourses throughout Australia. The application of a feminist theoretical framework to the discursive analysis of the problem of human trafficking is unique to this study. The study has exposed a longstanding and unresolved feminist debate that has filtered throughout anti-trafficking political discourse. This study illuminates the problematic construction of anti-trafficking policy, and the implications in practice on survivor support services. Australia has received international criticism for the focus on criminal justice rather than human rights throughout anti-trafficking policy discourse. The outcome of this study has the potential to inform future language and constructive conversations contributing to knowledge around how policy effects survivors in the post trafficking experience.

Keywords: Australia, discursive analysis, government, human trafficking, non-government, Thailand

Procedia PDF Downloads 119

Authors: Hemant Upadhyay, Tarun Kumar Kundu

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It is utmost important for a blast furnace operator to understand the mechanisms governing the liquid flow, accumulation, drainage and heat transfer between various phases in blast furnace hearth for a stable and efficient blast furnace operation. Abnormal drainage behavior may lead to high liquid build up in the hearth. Operational problems such as pressurization, low wind intake, and lower material descent rates, normally be encountered if the liquid levels in the hearth exceed a critical limit when Hearth coke and Deadman start to float. Similarly, hot metal temperature is an important parameter to be controlled in the BF operation; it should be kept at an optimal level to obtain desired product quality and a stable BF performance. It is not possible to carry out any direct measurement of above due to the hostile conditions in the hearth with chemically aggressive hot liquids. The objective here is to develop a mathematical model to simulate the variation in hot metal / slag accumulation and temperature during the tapping of the blast furnace based on the computed drainage rate, production rate, mass balance, heat transfer between metal and slag, metal and solids, slag and solids as well as among the various zones of metal and slag itself. For modeling purpose, the BF hearth is considered as a pressurized vessel, filled with solid coke particles. Liquids trickle down in hearth from top and accumulate in voids between the coke particles which are assumed thermally saturated. A set of generic mass balance equations gives the amount of metal and slag intake in hearth. A small drainage (tap hole) is situated at the bottom of the hearth and flow rate of liquids from tap hole is computed taking in account the amount of both the phases accumulated their level in hearth, pressure from gases in the furnace and erosion behaviors of tap hole itself. Heat transfer equations provide the exchange of heat between various layers of liquid metal and slag, and heat loss to cooling system through refractories. Based on all that information a dynamic simulation is carried out which provides real time information of liquids accumulation in hearth before and during tapping, drainage rate and its variation, predicts critical event timings during tapping and expected tapping temperature of metal and slag on preset time intervals. The model is in use at JSPL, India BF-II and its output is regularly cross-checked with actual tapping data, which are in good agreement.

Keywords: blast furnace, hearth, deadman, hotmetal

Procedia PDF Downloads 184

Authors: Medine Demir, Volker John

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Fluid equations in a rotating frame of reference have a broad class of important applications in meteorology and oceanography, especially in the large-scale flows considered in ocean and atmosphere, as well as many physical and industrial applications. The Coriolis and the centripetal forces, resulting from the rotation of the earth, play a crucial role in such systems. For such applications it may be required to solve the system in complex three-dimensional geometries. In recent years, the Navier--Stokes equations in a rotating frame have been investigated in a number of papers using the classical inf-sup stable mixed methods, like Taylor-Hood pairs, to contribute to the analysis and the accurate and efficient numerical simulation. Numerical analysis reveals that these classical methods introduce a pressure-dependent contribution in the velocity error bounds that is proportional to some inverse power of the viscosity. Hence, these methods are optimally convergent but small velocity errors might not be achieved for complicated pressures and small viscosity coefficients. Several approaches have been proposed for improving the pressure-robustness of pairs of finite element spaces. In this contribution, a pressure-robust space discretization of the incompressible Navier--Stokes equations in a rotating frame of reference is considered. The discretization employs divergence-free, $H^1$-conforming mixed finite element methods like Scott--Vogelius pairs. However, this approach might come with a modification of the meshes, like the use of barycentric-refined grids in case of Scott--Vogelius pairs. However, this strategy requires the finite element code to have control on the mesh generator which is not realistic in many engineering applications and might also be in conflict with the solver for the linear system. An error estimate for the velocity is derived that tracks the dependency of the error bound on the coefficients of the problem, in particular on the angular velocity. Numerical examples illustrate the theoretical results. The idea of pressure-robust method could be cast on different types of flow problems which would be considered as future studies. As another future research direction, to avoid a modification of the mesh, one may use a very simple parameter-dependent modification of the Scott-Vogelius element, the pressure-wired Stokes element, such that the inf-sup constant is independent of nearly-singular vertices.

Keywords: navier-stokes equations in a rotating frame of refence, coriolis force, pressure-robust error estimate, scott-vogelius pairs of finite element spaces

Procedia PDF Downloads 67

Authors: Alejandra Ben-Aissa, Martina Moreno, Luciano Sappia, Paul Lacharmoise, Ana Moya

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Organ-on-Chip (OoC) stands out as a highly promising approach for drug testing, presenting a cost-effective and ethically superior alternative to conventional in vivo experiments. These cutting-edge devices emerge from the integration of tissue engineering and microfluidic technology, faithfully replicating the physiological conditions of targeted organs. Consequently, they offer a more precise understanding of drug responses without the ethical concerns associated with animal testing. When addressing the limitations of OoC due to conventional and time-consuming techniques, Lab-On-Chip (LoC) emerge as a disruptive technology capable of providing real-time monitoring without compromising sample integrity. This work develops LoC platforms that can be integrated within OoC platforms to monitor essential culture media parameters, including glucose, oxygen, and pH, facilitating the straightforward exchange of sensing units within a dynamic and controlled environment without disrupting cultures. This approach preserves the experimental setup, minimizes the impact on cells, and enables efficient, prolonged measurement. The LoC system is fabricated following the patented methodology protected by EU patent EP4317957A1. One of the key challenges of integrating sensors in a biocompatible, feasible, robust, and scalable manner is addressed through fully printed sensors, ensuring a customized, cost-effective, and scalable solution. With this technique, sensor reliability is enhanced, providing high sensitivity and selectivity for accurate parameter monitoring. In the present study, LoC is validated measuring a complete culture media. The oxygen sensor provided a measurement range from 0 mgO2/L to 6.3 mgO2/L. The pH sensor demonstrated a measurement range spanning 2 pH units to 9.5 pH units. Additionally, the glucose sensor achieved a measurement range from 0 mM to 11 mM. All the measures were performed with the sensors integrated in the LoC. In conclusion, this study showcases the impactful synergy of OoC technology with LoC systems using fully printed sensors, marking a significant step forward in ethical and effective biomedical research, particularly in drug development. This innovation not only meets current demands but also lays the groundwork for future advancements in precision and customization within scientific exploration.

Keywords: organ on chip, lab on chip, real time monitoring, biosensors

Procedia PDF Downloads 18